Thursday, September 6, 2007

Socialized Medicine and Medical Innovation

One important secondary effect of a government takeover of medicine would be the stifling of medical innovation. Currently America has the freest medical system in the world, and also leads the world in medical innovation. This would be jeopardized if we turn towards socialized medicine.

A recent report in the August 28, 2007 Vancouver Sun shows what might happen to us if we adopted a Canadian-style system. Here are some excerpts:

"Canada lags in health innovations"

Canada lags behind several other developed countries when it comes to health innovations, such as developing new prescription drugs and medical devices, according to a Conference Board of Canada report.

...Canada's performance is relatively low, despite being the third highest per capita spender on health care, behind the U.S. and Switzerland.

Among the study's findings about health care research in Canada:

- There is little collaboration between universities and business enterprises.

- Canada has drastically fewer medical patents and applications than other countries.

- Fewer university graduates in Canada have advanced research skills.

..."The Canadian health care system, when compared with those of other OECD countries, is not a high-performing system," states the report.

About FIRM

America was founded on the principles of freedom and individual rights. Applied to medicine, the law must respect the individual rights of doctors and other providers, allowing them the freedom to practice medicine. This includes the right to choose their patients, to determine the best treatment for their patients, and to bill their patients accordingly. In the same manner, the law must respect the individual rights of patients, allowing them the freedom to seek out the best doctors and treatment they can afford.

Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine (FIRM) promotes the philosophy of individual rights, personal responsibility, and free market economics in health care. FIRM holds that the only moral and practical way to obtain medical care is that of individuals choosing and paying for their own medical care in a capitalist free market. Federal and state regulations and entitlements, we maintain, are the two most important factors in driving up medical costs. They have created the crisis we face today.

Freedom and Individual Rights in Medicine was founded by Lin Zinser and Paul Hsieh, MD in 2007. It is now managed by Paul Hsieh, MD.